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Whenever a parrotlet starts plucking (I use the term plucking to describe all feather mutilation whether the bird is pulling out the feathers, breaking them or just chewing), I always tell the owner to get it checked by a vet first. There are many medical conditions which can induce feather plucking including zinc poisoning, parasites (both external and internal) and certain bacterial infections. However, I do not believe in medicating a bird if there is no indication of illness. Once the vet has given the bird a clean bill of health, then you have to look to other causes. I find parrotlets usually pluck because of two reasons. The most common is trauma. A move, new bird, change in feed, even pregnancy (by the human) can cause plucking. Sometimes it will resolve itself once the stress has been removed but not usually. Another reason for plucking is hormonal changes. This can happen in both males and females. I always check the amount of daylight a parrotlet is exposed to. Many people uncover their birds (and you should always cover them at night) as soon as they wake up and put them to bed when they go to sleep. Many times this results in more than 12 hours of daylight and that can cause their hormones to go into action. The frustration could cause them to pluck. I recommend that all non-breeding parrotlets not be exposed to more than 12 hours of daylight; 10 is even better. Birds that pluck have to be given distractions such as paper or cardboard to chew and destroy or toys made of rope or cotton which feel more like feathers. There are many toys and things on the market that are available. I personally like to drape a paper towel through the top of the cage bars or cut the inside tubes from rolls paper towels or toilet papers into 1" pieces and string them on a favorite perch. If these things to not help, more aggressive measures can be taken. There has been a lot of work with holistic treatments including herbs and vitamin treatments. Avian Medicine Chest makes all-natural products with flowers, herbs and vitamins for plucking and I have heard that some people have had great success. I myself have used bee pollen successfully on several parrotlets that had been naked for years. Pet Power makes a formula specifically for plucking birds. Since parrotlets eat bee pollen naturally in the wild, it will not harm them even if it does not work. I would avoid drugs because too many parrotlets have OD and died. Also, don't put a collar on them either. The parrotlet will have difficulty playing, climbing and possibly feeding itself. Only use drugs or a collar if the parrotlet is actually mutilating the skin or muscle tissue and only under the direction of a competent veterinarian that specializes in birds. I always advise people to be cautious when dealing with birds that pluck. Many times people just go crazy and end up actually hurting their bird. Granted, they look terrible but most of the time, the little buggers are healthy as horses. People get so excited about "fixing" them that they forget it is simply a matter of cosmetics. Sometimes no matter what you do, they never stop. I have a handful of naked parrotlets and some are my best breeders. I even have a "pet" Fuzzy who, except for his head and neck, had not a single feather on his body. No tail, no wings, no down. Nothing. He now has most of his body feathers grown in except for his chest (he does leave the down). He still chews and looks terrible but I think he has made a vast improvement and I have learned to accept that is just the way he is. Unfortunately, I have heard many sad stories about people whose birds died from medication or hung themselves on their collars but I have never heard of a parrotlet dying from feather plucking itself. |
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